To Save a World
by miss37
Summary: A short story about what led up to the events on Nibiru.
1. Chapter 1

_Jim Kirk was running through the red jungle on Nibiru with Leonard McCoy close behind him. They had been ordered to observe the planet, but they had discovered something they could not ignore…_

"Are you sure?" Jim asked as he stood on the Bridge of the Enterprise looking at the planet Nibiru on the view screen.

"Yes sir," Pavel Chekov answered. "If the volcano erupts, it will wipe out this species, and possibly the whole planet."

Jim just stood there silent a moment. "Is there anything we can do to save them? Stop it some way?"

"Captain, interfering with a civilization's destiny violates Starfleet regulation…" Spock began.

"What are we supposed to do? Sit here and watch this planet be destroyed because of some regulation?"

"Captain, may I remind you that this is a primitive civilization which is far from having warp capabilities. It would be a severe violation if we let them see us, let alone our ship."

"Then we have to figure out a way to keep them from seeing it. Can we transport down to the planet?"

"Negative, Sir," Chekov answered. "There is a strong magnetic field. We would have to be on the planet."

Jim was not willing to accept defeat. He thought surely they would get recognition for saving a planet, and surely Starfleet would not object to their saving a planet and a species from destruction. Maybe they would even get that five-year mission that had been talked about.

"Jim, the Enterprise is far too large to hide on this planet," Spock declared.

"We'll use a shuttle then," Jim said. "But how can we neutralize the volcano?"

Spock realized that Jim was going to try to do something with or without his help, so he would help in order to make the mission go as smoothly as possible. "A cold fusion device could render the volcano inert," he said.

"But how do we get it there?" Jim asked.

"The cold fusion device would have to be activated within the volcano."

Jim just stood there a moment. " _Within_ it?"

"Yes, Captain. This will be a particularly dangerous mission. If the volcano were to erupt while we are there, we too will be destroyed."

"If we hide the Enterprise somewhere and use a shuttle to put someone into the volcano to activate the device and then pull them back out, the species will never know we were there."

Spock was silent a moment as he considered that. "It is possible that a shuttle would be hidden by the debris cloud from the volcano and would not be seen by the indigenous species if they were lured away."

Jim thought about that. "We know where the main part of their village is, and that's right at the base of the volcano."

"That is why they must be lured away from the volcano. That way, they will not hear the shuttle and become curious."

"How can we lure them away? What would draw their attention?"

"Someone would have to observe them and find a way."

Jim thought a moment. He went over to the schematic that showed the data they had collected about the planet so far. "There's a large ocean," he pointed out. "The beach is not far from the volcano."

McCoy was listening to everything. "Are you actually suggesting that we go down there, hide the Enterprise in this ocean, and sneak over to their village to try and lure them away from this volcano that could explode at any time while some fool on this ship takes a dive into the volcano?"

Jim thought about that a moment. "Yeah."

"It will take time to prepare a cold fusion device powerful enough to stop a volcano," Spock said.

"How long?"

"At least twenty four hours, Captain."

"Well then, we've got that long to figure out how to get them away from there."

"You're really going to do this?" Bones asked.

Jim walked over to Sulu who was at the helm. "You think you can set this ship down there in that ocean?" Jim asked.

"Captain!" Scotty exclaimed. "This ship was not made to be a submarine! It's a star ship! As in…space!"

"Relax, Mister Scott."

"I'm not sure the Enterprise can withstand that pressure."

"We're only gonna be deep enough to cover the ship. It's pressurized, Scotty."

"What about the nacelles, the engines? Equipment that isn't made to be in water!"

"Watch after them."

"How do we get the ship down without them seeing it?" Sulu asked.

"We'll go down under cover of darkness," Jim said. "Spock, work on that device."

"Yes, Captain," Spock replied and left the Bridge.

"Jim, how do you suggest that we go down there and observe them?" Bones asked.

"We'll just have to have disguises that cover us completely," Jim said.

Bones followed Jim from the Bridge. "Jim, this is never gonna work!" Bones declared.

"How do you know it won't work?"

"Because it's just impossible."

"Don't give up so easily."

"I can understand wanting to save a world, but risking our own lives to do it is just crazy! You're actually gonna let Spock go into that live volcano! What if something goes wrong?"

"It won't. Just work with me on this."


	2. Chapter 2

By that evening, Jim and Bones had figured out what costumes they needed. They would, however, have to wear wet suits under them in case they had to make a hasty retreat. Over that, they were wearing a long blue robe-like outfit with a hood, and a wrapping that covered their entire face.

"I think it's dark enough," Jim said as he was watching the planet. "Take us down, Mister Sulu. Skim the surface until we get to the point where we want to submerge."

"Yes, Captain," Sulu replied. He was not sure this would work, but he would do what the captain said.

They descended into the atmosphere far from where the inhabitants lived and traveled across the ocean until they came to the submersion point. Sulu set the ship down gently on the bottom of the ocean. "We're down, Sir," he said with relief. He could certainly not say he had ever put a ship down in the water before.

Scotty was keeping an eye on readings, but nothing seemed to be beeping or blinking.

"Alright," Jim said. "Mister Sulu, I want you to have the shuttle ready to take Spock to the volcano on my order. As soon as I lure them away, you get him up there."

"Yes sir," Sulu replied. "Captain, I'm not sure that shuttle can stand that kind of heat."

"Get Mister Scott to try and boost the shields."

Sulu was not sure that would help. The shuttles just were not made to fly over a volcano like that.

Jim went to see how Spock was doing with the cold fusion device. "It will be ready on schedule, Captain," Spock said. "However, I must object to this mission. It is a violation of Starfleet protocol."

"I understand that, Mister Spock," Jim replied. "But we're gonna do what we can to save this species. Is the thermal suit ready?"

"It is."

"Alright then. Bones and I are about to go and observe the species. I'll let you know when I have them away."

"Yes, Captain."

Jim and Bones went to the transporter room. Mister Scott could transport them as far as the beach, but the magnetic field would not allow any greater distance. They would then make their way through the jungle to the village. "We'll be back to the beach when we're ready to transport back, Mister Scott," Jim said.

"I'll be waiting, Captain," Scotty replied.

"Energize."

Jim and Bones disappeared from the transporter pad and appeared on the beach. It was definitely a quiet and lovely world. "How can you not want to save this, Bones?" Jim asked.

"I never said I didn't, Jim," Bones replied. He still could not believe they were doing this. He thought Jim was reckless and did not really think things through before he acted.

They left the beach and went up a rocky hill that led into the red jungle of vines and trees. A jungle of white trees with red leaves. They had never seen anything quite like it. They found that there were trails through the jungle which looked like they were used quite a bit. At the end of the trails was what looked like a primitive temple which was made of red wood, and beyond that was an area of water, but a small village too.

"Maybe the best time to lead them out of there is when they come to this temple," Bones whispered.

"Maybe," Jim replied. "When they do, I'll go in and find some way of getting them to chase me."

"I'll try to find us a ride so we won't be having to run full throttle through this jungle."

"You do that, but right now, let's observe."

The next morning, the beings from the village gathered in the temple where Jim had taken refuge to hide during the night while he waited. He watched as one of the beings read something and then they all bowed to a scroll that hung in the center of the place. "Well, I guess that's as good as anything," he whispered to himself. He took out his communicator. "Spock, is your device ready?"

"Not yet, Captain," Spock replied. "But I believe it will be ready within the next hour."

"Alright. Let me know. I think I know how to lure them out of here."

"Captain, have the inhabitants seen you?"

"No. I'm hiding and watching them. Don't worry. Just get that device ready."

"I am working on it."

The transmission ended. Spock did not agree at all with this mission, but he was in too deep already. He would simply have to write a report about the whole thing. Perhaps if the mission went well, there would be no consequences, as long as the species did not see them. However, he knew there were many things that could go wrong, and he also knew that Jim was not considering any of them. Sulu had made his concerns known about taking the shuttle that close to the volcano, and did not believe it could withstand the heat. Mister Scott had worked on the shields, but the shuttle just simply was not made for that sort of mission.

Spock knew the cold fusion device would work and diffuse the volcano, but that was only with a great deal of luck on their part. He continued to work on it.

Jim continued watching the indigenous species as they went about their routine. He wondered what they would be like in about a hundred years or more. They seemed to think the scroll was very important, and did not seem to pay any attention to the rumbling of the volcano. He wondered if they knew how serious it was.

An hour later, Spock called Jim and informed him that the cold fusion device was ready. "Great," Jim whispered. "Are you outfitted yet?"

"Not yet," Spock replied. "We are about to board the shuttle. We will be ready shortly."

"Right. I'm about to move and get some scroll that they hold dear. That should make them chase me and get them out of this temple. Once you get your device detonated, we're out of here. They'll never know we were here."

Spock was not so sure of that, but he would do what he could to make this plan work. He was on the shuttle with Uhura and Sulu. Spock was getting into the copper-colored thermal suit he would be wearing that could withstand the temperatures within the volcano. "We have to get this done fast," Sulu said as they were nearing the volcano. "We don't want to be up there any longer than necessary."

Jim sneaked out of his hiding place just as the beings were bowing to the scroll again. He grabbed the scroll and took off running toward the door of the temple. He stopped for a moment at the door to make sure they realized he had taken it. OH, yes! They were aware. The one who seemed to be the leader yelled something at the others, and they started that way. Jim turned and ran out the door, carrying the scroll with him. "Bones, I sure hope you have that ride ready!" he said as he ran out into the sunlight on the rocky path in front of the temple…


End file.
